Is this really the same person???

10 years doesn't seem like a long time, but it really is. Especially when you realize how different you were as a person via photos, videos, and general personality.

What started this jog down memory lane was a song that I heard on Heather DeLuca's All-Request Drive Thru today (which you should tune into every day here on SoJO 104.9), "Fall For You" by Secondhand Serenade. Oh the nostalgia!

So hearing that song got me right in the feels and brought me back to 2008, before a time where 'Jv Joe' didn't exist. It made think about what kind of person I was and what I was doing at that time in my life. For research and references I went of course to social media (which was just newborn) and found some pretty interesting (embarrassing) gems.

JV Joe/TSM
JV Joe/TSM
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Like this one, right off my MySpace page in 2008. Remember Myspace? Spending hours learning code to make the coolest profile page ever. The classic black and white mirror selfie with me channeling a SoCal look so hard that it makes me cringe to this day. Also, Hollister was apparently a huge part of my wardrobe, it was pretty much the only thing I owned. I do like my hair though and miss the 'majestic mane.'

I also thought I was pretty good photographer back then taking photos of the sun setting (while driving on my way to Ocean County Community College) and of my childhood best friend, pictured below, in this perspective foreground/background shot. I thought it was so cool, it made me feel cool too (apologies to Jenn, pretty sure I made you retake this photo 12 times Lol).

JV Joe/TSM
JV Joe/TSM
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JV Joe/TSM
JV Joe/TSM
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Not only did I think I was a pretty fly photographer, but I guess I was into the outdoors a lot too, I honestly don't even remember this photo. Funny because you can't get me to go out into the wilderness or go camping even if you paid me $10 million now.

By the way, look at how thin I was. I did not age well at all!!!!

JV Joe/TSM
JV Joe/TSM
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But whenever I did do some traveling it was always to Atlantic City. I was too young to gamble but I still went anyway because I L O V E D the atmosphere. Ironic how things work out 10 years later?

JV Joe/TSM
JV Joe/TSM
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Whether it was to the Steel Pier, or mainly to the Tropicana to see the new 'Harry Potter' movie it was always a great time.

JV Joe/TSM
JV Joe/TSM
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JV Joe/TSM
JV Joe/TSM
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On the way down though we would wip out my huge binder of mix CDs (round, plastic discs that held a certain amount of Gigabytes that allowed you to play illegally burned music) for the trip and just jam out.

My taste in music was interesting to say the least, was very pop-punk, alt-rock heavy back in the day.

LOOOOVED this song from Carolina Liar, can you guess why?

I think I like the 2008 version of me more than the 2018 version. Yep...definitely do.

Man, I need to re-download all these songs asap! 2008 was a great year.

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